Gestalt is a German word. The closest translation is ‘whole’, ‘pattern’ or ‘form’. Gestalt therapy believes that meaning cannot be found from breaking things down into parts but rather from appreciating the whole. We regard the individual as a totality of mind, body, emotions and spirit who experiences reality in a way unique to themselves. We seek to understand the individual in the context of their environment. People are a product of the environment they live in and the environment they were raised in, including family, economic, political, social and cultural factors.
A quick way to understand Gestalt is “what and how, here and now, I and thou” which means we pay attention to what happens and how it happens (embodied experience), focus on the present moment and the pay attention to the relationship between therapist and client. We do this as a way to better understand the way we relate to ourselves and others. The focus on self-awareness of our immediate thoughts, feelings and behavior, and of patterns of relating, can bring about powerful change and new perspectives. The goal is for clients to become aware of what they are doing, how they are doing it, and how they can change themselves, and at the same time, to learn to accept and value themselves.